Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat on Friday warned that India will retaliate strongly at a time and place of its choosing if Pakistan uses drones or indulges in "hybrid warfare" to target Indian civilians or military assets.
General Rawat's statement comes after small explosive-laden drones were used in the terror attack on the Jammu air force station on June 27. He said that the investigating agencies were probing if the drones were launched by Pakistan from their border or within the Jammu region and whether the intent was to deliver a message of a new capability or actually cause damage on the ground.
He further warned Islamabad that if they attempt to do something to damage India's assets, the reaction of the armed forces will be very different. He emphasised sending a ‘strong message” to the neighbours if they are found to be interfering in any way.
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“We do not yet know the ultimate intention. But let them attempt to do something to damage our assets, and the reaction from our armed forces will be very different. The political will is there. Our armed forces are ready,” he said while speaking at a webinar.
“A strong message has to be sent that anything of this nature, grey-zone tactics or hybrid warfare if it damages our assets and affects our national security, we reserve the right to respond at a time and place of our choosing and the manner in which we wish to respond,” he added.
The CDS then talked about the border truce with Pakistan that was agreed in February to put an end to cross-border firing. “If you are going to use indirect systems to disrupt harmony and cause damage, it amounts to a violation of the ceasefire,” he said.
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Taking the recent battle-like situation between Israel and Palestine as an example, General Rawat said that the armed forces will have to dynamically keep on adapting to new threats because the next attack could well be through rockets. “Grey-zone warfare can involve anything and we have to be prepared for it,” he said.
